When 2020 began under the leadership of CEO Ricardo Martinez, we had big plans for how we would roll out new programs and campaigns to engage our community and advance equality, while preparing for the 2021 legislative session. But… like everyone else, COVID-19 threw a wrench in our strategy. 

One thing that didn’t change was our renewed commitment to educating Equality Texans on issues LGBTQ+ Texans face daily and how to become more effective advocates, for ourselves and for others. That is how Equality Education, or what we like to call E² (E-squared), was created.

Rather than getting together at events around the state and gathering in conference rooms to share this information, we moved online and created over 30 learning opportunities that connected experts and over 700 activists from all across Texas in one digital space. 

E² — our comprehensive Equality Education program — combines issue briefings, skills-based training, and other opportunities for advocates to learn about LGBTQ+ issues. Some of our issue briefings were focused on topics like nondiscrimination protections, family recognition, transgender rights, LGBTQ+ youth, and news from the local, state, and national level. Our skills-based trainings introduced advocates to the legislative process, the elements of effective storytelling, and ways to advocate remotely.

We are all on an advocacy journey to find our voice, and to identify what actions we can take to create a landscape where change is not only possible but sustainable over time. Individuals like you step in to take action, lift others up, and share your own stories to change the hearts and minds of those around you. We are dedicated to providing the tools that empower Equality Texans to advocate for full lived equality for LGBTQ+ people. 

Our final E² event in 2020 is:

LGBTQ+ Issues at Stake: the U.S. Supreme Court on Religious Refusals and Healthcare Access
December 10, 2020, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM on Zoom
TOPIC: In November, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments for two cases that have immense impacts on the LGBTQ+ community. Join our panel of legal experts as we deep dive into the cases at hand, Fulton v. Philadelphia (religious refusals) and California v. Texas (the Affordable Care Act), and explore the possible outcomes.